This week in 5 numbers: Caregivers say balancing their dual responsibilities hurts their career

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how salary history bans affect workers’ earnings.

By Ginger Christ • Nov. 13, 2025

Cost of living remains high — and wages haven’t kept up, experts say

“Coupled with today’s high costs, low wages leave many working people unable to afford basics such as groceries and gas — much less get ahead,” researchers with The Century Foundation said.

By Caroline Colvin • Nov. 13, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

A deep dive into financial wellness

Employee financial wellness may trending upward — but workers are still hoping for help from employers.

By HR Dive staff

Two-thirds of full-time workers plan to take on extra work to afford the holidays

However, 39% said taking on more work has or will likely hurt their productivity at their full-time job.

By Ginger Christ • Nov. 13, 2025

Healthcare cost hikes in 2026 may be only slightly lower than 2025, WTW says

The increase remains “significantly higher” than the 7.6% seen in 2024.

By Ginger Christ • Nov. 12, 2025

Salary history bans shrink gender- and race-based pay gaps, researchers find

The results are a sign that the wave of state and local laws is effective at achieving legislators’ stated goals, according to the Boston University School of Law.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 10, 2025

Providing personalized, connected care for your employees pays off

The more employers embrace a holistic perspective for the health of their workers, the clearer it becomes that the old point solutions no longer fit.

Nov. 10, 2025

5 steps HR should take to comply with pay transparency laws

Knowing where employees are located is just the beginning, attorneys told HR Dive.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 6, 2025

To cover or not cover GLP-1s? Employers might not have a choice.

Despite cost, many employers said they saw the coverage as a potential way to improve health outcomes for workers.

By Ginger Christ • Nov. 5, 2025

Meta sees ‘accelerated’ employee compensation growth, CFO says

The spike in employee compensation costs was primarily driven by “technical” hires, particularly AI talent, CFO Susan Li said.

By Alexei Alexis • Oct. 31, 2025

Younger workers see the greatest slowdown in income growth, report finds

Meanwhile, overall real income growth for those aged 25 to 54 hit the lowest levels in nearly a decade, JPMorganChase Institute research showed.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 30, 2025

A good employee leave experience can pay dividends in retention, report finds

Half of employers said having a supportive manager was the most influential factor in the employee leave experience, according to Guardian.

By Carolyn Crist • Oct. 30, 2025

Carvana denied postpartum employee leave from mandatory overtime, lawsuit claims

The plaintiff alleged that the company’s HR staff did not comply with a state family leave law that would have provided her additional time off.

By Ryan Golden • Oct. 27, 2025

Why employees don’t negotiate compensation, according to researchers

While experts predicted job seekers would be more influenced by the offer of negotiation coaching, a simple message that employers expect negotiation nudged more job seekers to try it, results showed.

By Emilie Shumway • Oct. 24, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: Nearly two-thirds of workers say they don’t have stable schedules

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including what share of family premiums employees contribute.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 23, 2025

GLP-1, autoimmune drugs drive up benefit costs heading into 2026

Along with cost, education around total rewards is also a part of the Q4 benefits conversation.

By Caroline Colvin • Oct. 23, 2025

Equity isn’t just for executives: Report urges HR to think beyond base pay

While the compensation option may be well associated with executives and tech startups, it’s increasingly being offered elsewhere, such as to Walmart store managers.

By Kate Tornone • Oct. 23, 2025

KFF: Family health insurance premiums now cost more than a new Toyota Corolla Hybrid

Employer premiums are expected to rise more sharply next year, the firm's survey found.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 22, 2025

1 in 4 workers say they didn’t take a single vacation day in the last year

Workers cited heavy workloads, manager expectations and company culture as reasons for not taking more time away, a survey found.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 21, 2025

Simplifying complexity in the healthcare system

Amid evolving population needs and system demands, Skai Blue helps employers simplify healthcare.

Oct. 20, 2025

Employees want to talk to a real person about benefits, Aflac finds

Almost 9 in 10 Generation Z and millennial employees said online benefits administration is very or extremely important, according to a survey.

By Laurel Kalser • Oct. 17, 2025

Labor department OKs standalone fertility treatment benefits

Three agencies will issue regulations aimed at further reducing barriers for employers looking to offer fertility benefits, according to a White House fact sheet.

By Emilie Shumway • Oct. 17, 2025

This week in 5 numbers: For some workers, a cavity is better than talking politics

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how many employers are advertising training opportunities to potential candidates.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 16, 2025

Younger workers turn to TikTok, AI to learn about benefits, study finds

More than 40% of employees said they don’t feel confident in their understanding of voluntary benefits, an Equitable survey showed.

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 16, 2025

House bill would codify Trump’s order to allow cryptocurrency in 401(k) plans

The Retirement Investment Choice Act is meant to “democratiz[e] access to alternative investments for 401(k) investors.”

By Ginger Christ • Oct. 15, 2025

The need for caregiving benefits may have reached a fever pitch

With working women “sandwiched” between child and parent caregiving, HR leaders can offer flexibility and special paid leave, among other benefits, experts said.

By Caroline Colvin • Oct. 15, 2025